Unidentified gunmen fired at Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit from close range when they were on their way to home, according to the police.

“Both were shifted to a hospital where doctors declared them dead on arrival. A manhunt has been launched to trace the assassins,” a police officer said, adding that it was premature to say whether the attack was carried out by militants.

Ravinder Raina, state BJP president, however, said it was a militant attack and that it was a big failure on the part of security agencies.

Protests broke out in the town as the news about the assassination of Ajit and Anil Parihar spread.

Ajit Parkar was an employee of state Financial Corporation.

Authorities have imposed curfew in the town and also suspended mobile Internet services as a precautionary measure.

Condoling the killings, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted: “Shocked and pained by the killing of J&amp;K state BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother. My heart goes out to the bereaved family. Spoke to Advisor to J&amp;K Governor Vijay Kumar regarding the incident. The police will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice.”